Brother Knows Best
by Bohemian-Vixen
Summary: Ron explains why it’s okay for him if ever Harry and Ginny do get together. (complete)


_Title: **Brother Knows Best**_

_Author: bohemian vixen aka queen of slytherin_

_Email: alexandrea@most-wanted.com_

_Rating: PG_

_Spoilers: all, especially OotP_

_Disclaimer:  No money-making involved, because the HP universe is not mine, but JKR's. I just play in her playground._

_Summary: Ron explains why it's okay for him if ever Harry and Ginny do get together._

_Author's notes: This ficlet is inspired by Ron's "oddly furtive look" at the end of OotP_

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**_Brother Knows Best_**

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Harry's my best mate. Ginny's my little sister.

So I know you're wondering what the hell I was thinking, defying one of the universal rules of life.

By the way, for those who don't know the rule I'm talking about, it's this:

_A Big Brother must be against Best Mate's hooking up with Little Sister._

Yeah, I know. I'm a big exception to that rule. I'm a shame to the Protective Big Brother Association (by the way, is there such an association? I just heard it from Fred and George, and I know that half the things they say are bull.)  

Don't get me wrong. I don't fancy the idea of seeing Harry's tongue stuck down Ginny's throat (eurgh), which I'm sure will happen at least once if they do get together. I'm also fully aware that if ever they do go out, I can't exactly talk to Harry about girls in the way that normal blokes do, and that sucks, because who will I talk to? Maybe Dean and Seamus…but hey, they aren't my best mates.

So do I still want Harry and Ginny to end up together? 

Hmmm, it's really hard to explain, but I'll try…. Let me tell you a story.

Last Valentine's Day, the Gryffindor Quidditch team had practice. Yes, Angelina was heartless enough to schedule a practice on V-Day. Not that I had a date or anything, but I was planning to hang out with Hermione the whole day, and well...

Anyway, as I was saying, we had practice, and it started at six in the morning. I went down to the changing room, got into my Quidditch robes, and sat down on one of the benches in the common area. Just then Ginny emerged from the girls' side of the changing room, looking positively sleepy.

"Wake up," I said to her. 

She yawned hugely (she never had much finesse, really). "It's Valentine's day and we're going to be stuck in practice. How awful," she lamented.

 "Why, do you have a date with that Corner bloke?" I knew I sounded rather harsh, but I never liked Michael Corner, because he really does look like an idiot.

She must've noticed my tone, because she scowled before saying, "Of course I have a date with him. He's _my boyfriend." She went over to the broom closet and grabbed her old Shooting Star, which was a hand-me-down from Bill. "Oh, maybe you're just bitter because you didn't get around to asking Hermione out. You're just saved by Quidditch practice," she continued maddeningly after sitting down beside me. _

"Why would I ask Hermione out? I don't like her that way." Was I that obvious??? At that time, I had just figured out for myself that I like Hermione, and I had no intention of letting anyone know about it until I was sure that she likes me back (and by the way, I think she doesn't like me that way, but that's another story).

"Whatever," Ginny said. "You have to be quick, before someone else grabs her for himself. When that happens, it'll be too late."

"Well, then, it's too late for you, little sis. Cho Chang has just grabbed Harry for herself. They're going out on a date to Hogsmeade today."

Honestly, when I said that, I meant it as a joke. After all, Ginny's supposed to have given up on Harry, right? And she had a boyfriend, for crying out loud.

I was expecting her to laugh and tell me that Harry could be grabbed by any girl and she wouldn't care less. 

Boy, did I expect wrong.

She had been wiping the handle of her Shooting Star with a tattered old rag, and when I told her about Harry's date, she dropped her broom with a loud clank.

Which, by the way, wasn't an unusual thing to happen—I mean, anyone can drop their brooms without it meaning anything, right?—but I must say, when she picked her broom up, her hands were trembling slightly. It was not that noticeable; I was just sitting near enough.

"You know, I don't think they'll last, Cho and Harry," I told Ginny hurriedly, so she wouldn't become any more upset than she already seemed to be.

She scoffed. "Oh c'mon, Ron. You're Harry's best mate. You should be more supportive. I, for one, think it's really great that he's starting to date."

Yeah, right. 

Normally, I would've believed her—she's such a good little liar—but really, I'm not that stupid. I've known Ginny all of her life, and ever since her horrible first year, I've always been watching out for her even if she doesn't seem to notice it. I can pretty much say that I know her enough to see through some of her lies. 

So, back to my story (I get distracted easily, sorry). 

Anyway, so there we were in the changing rooms, and my sister just told me that she thought it was great that Harry was starting to date. I really wanted to tell her that I believed Cho was nothing more than a fling, but I decided not to push it, because Ginny was determined to lie about it.

So I thought the discussion was closed, you know, but then I heard her sigh deeply. I turned to look at her, and there was a faraway look on her face.

"What does he see in Cho Chang?"  she asked. 

There was something déjà vu-ish about it, but I couldn't put my finger on it. 

But I didn't have much time to think about it, because she was looking at me expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"Well," I said, considering the matter, "I s'pose she's older, isn't she ... and she's a great Quidditch player, and of course, she's really pretty."

"Yeah, but apart from that," said Ginny, sounding aggravated. "I mean, she's a bit of a drama queen—yeah, I know she's grieving, but really, sometimes I think she's just acting—and she doesn't like Hagrid as a teacher, and—and she supports the Tornadoes!"   

"Yeah, I know," I said in agreement, nodding my head vigorously…

…and it was then that I realized it, and I would've laughed at the sheer coincidence of it all if it just wasn't so sad.

Ginny was acting exactly the same way I had acted when I asked Harry about what Hermione could possibly see in Krum. There was no denying it.

As soon as I realized that, Angelina came in and started discussing how the practice should go that day.

I still haven't heard my sister talk that way again. I think it was just one of those very rare moments when she was off-guard. She's usually unreadable. What you see of her is definitely not all what you get.

But anyway, it was enough for me to know that she still likes Harry no matter what she says, and she's feeling that Cho Chang's superior over her, in the same way that I can't help but feel that Krum is superior over me.

It's really, really sad, because I know how bad it feels, and my closet-protective-older-brother side doesn't want Ginny to feel that. 

And seeing how she's acting normally around Harry, I have this suspicion that she's over her awestruck hero-worship stage, and moved on into feeling something, well, deeper for my best mate. If that's the case (which I think it is), well, then, I guess she may be really hurting.

Ewww.  Discussing Ginny's love life (or lack thereof) gives me the creeps, but when all is said and done, I just I want her to be happy. 

Besides, she can do a whole lot worse than Harry. In all fairness, I don't think my best mate's the type to break hearts. In fact, he strikes me as someone who's faithful.

Now that I think about it, he can do a whole lot worse than Ginny. She's a Weasley, after all, so there's no question that she rocks. Modesty aside, we Weasleys are cool, even Percy, now that he pulled a Prodigal Son act and all.

Anyway (I was distracted yet again, sorry!), I've seen the way Harry and Ginny interact. I'm still amazed how she can make Harry shut up whenever he throws one of his terrible tempter tantrums. And have I mentioned the way they share a joke just by catching each other's eyes? They think no one sees it, but I do. 

I really think they can be great together, you know. They're two of the most important people of my life, and if they can be happy with each other, so much the better.

If that happens, I'm not going to stand in their way. Nope. Not at all.

But that's still looking too far into the future, I guess, because I'm pretty sure that Harry doesn't like Ginny, in the same way that I'm sure that Hermione doesn't like me (I mean, c'mon, she calls me an insensitive wart with an emotional range of a teaspoon).

But Ginny and I, we can dream, right? If there's one thing Dad taught us, it's that no one knows what can really happen.

And you know, after I became a Quidditch hero with my own theme song (who would've thought???), I believe anything's quite possible.

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**_The End_**


End file.
